"Today we mark a tragic and sobering milestone in Louisiana as we recognize the more than 18,000 loved ones from every corner of this state who are no longer with us because of COVID-19. My prayers today and every day are with the grieving families and communities forever altered by this pandemic,” said Governor John Bel Edwards.
"The magnitude of loss due to a virus that has only been with us for 30 months is difficult and painful to grasp, but it is what focuses and drives our continued efforts to preserve human life," said LDH State Health Officer Dr. Joseph Kanter. "We have made critical progress in the fight against COVID-19 and are on the right track. Case numbers, hospitalizations, and deaths are on the decline. Though we have come far, it is likely new variants will continue to emerge, and there may be a fall or winter surge. The good news is that we know how to protect ourselves and communities – getting vaccinated and boosted, testing when exposed or sick, connecting people who are infected and at higher risk for severe disease with evidence-based treatments like Paxlovid, and utilizing prophylactic treatments like Evusheld in those who are moderately or severely immunocompromised.”
Nearly 2.5 million people in Louisiana have completed their primary vaccine series against COVID-19.
Updated COVID-19 booster shots now available across Louisiana are formulated to offer continued protection against the original strain of the virus, while also offering better protection against the two lineages of the Omicron variant, BA.4 and BA.5, which represent over 90% of currently circulating virus.
